Sheepstead (City)
Sheepstead is the Capital of the County of Sheepstead and the Archduchy of Elbreth. It is also the capital of the Kingdom of Elbreth, and the King's Castle can be found at the very center. The Basic Appearance Sheepstead spreads out around the castle in a haphazard sprawl. The streets are narrow and bewildering, often befuddling newcomers. A common rule of thumb when dealing with a citizen of sheepstead is that the closer one lives to the castle is a good indication of how wealthy they are. The Lay-Out The Inner Ring The "Inner Ring" of Sheepstead is small, with slightly wider streets and more than a few two-story buildings. Though closest to the Castle, the buildings are held back from the wall by an incredibly wide cobblestone rode -- no doubt a measure of defense against fires. Here one might find the homes of merchants and lesser nobles, the vendors of jewelry and other luxury goods, skilled craftsmen and a single high class tavern. The Middling The majority of Sheepstead is composed of one story buildings, pushed closely together as they weave their narrow streets and alleys. The people who live here are not starving, though nor do they grow fat. They do not wear rags, but they are clearly not rich. Here one will find the businesses and homes of lowly merchants, less skilled craftsmen, and their hirelings. Two taverns lay to the east and west of the castle, with a third laying to the south of the castle, right next to the market. This third tavern is where off-duty members of the King's guard often congregate. The Market Inbetween the inner Ring and the Middling is a long ring of businesses both large and small. This abruptly terminates into a massive, open square just south of the castle. In this square merchants hawk their wares at open stalls, and farmers travel from throughout the Archduchy to sell their excess produce and livestock. The Town The "Town" is less a true town and more a shanty town, constructed by a variety of unskilled workers, thugs, and pick-pockets. Here the quarters are even tighter than the Middling, but this ring of buildings is thin and quickly opens out into the end of the city. Here one is most likely to find beggars, thieves, pickpockets and other scoundrels of ill-repute as well as a variety of less succesful (and occasionally less legal) businesses. Several taverns can be found in this area. While small in the past, The Town has no doubt grown since the war with Preston, swelling with both refugees from Miring and visitors brought about in search of profit. The City Limits Outside the low palisades of Sheepstead, past what little of the Town has sprawled out of the gates, is open farm land and rolling green hills. Here one will find farms and grazing land, populated by the many shepherds of Elbreth. The Climate As the Archduchy of Elbreth's central trade hub, the people of Sheepstead are used to a wide variety of culture. Nevertheless, they can be suspicious at times, especially following catastrophe such as the (frequent) fires and the release of a demon into their streets. While the Hatcuri of the south are often derided, an angry mob will rarely form and there are some in the Inner Ring (and even the Middling) who are accepting of those of another race. For the most part, Sheepstead is a lawful town. Before the war with Preston it was not uncommon to see members of the King's guard patrolling the streets even in the Town, and after the war is done one might expect much of the same. Category:Settlement Category:Elbreth